Stressful!

I will blog more about my move and starting my new job as soon as it all happens. But let me tell you, just preparing to move and start a new job is SO STRESSFUL and requires mass amounts of phone calls, emails, paperwork, physical work, and money. Thank goodness Jace will be coming in about a week to help me with my move.

Just one more week in Pittsburgh and then I will be in Columbia, MD. Wish me luck!

Sunrise Over Pittsburgh

This past Friday, around 12:30 am, Celaschi convinced King and I to wake up around 5 am and get to the top of Mount Washington for sunrise (5:53 am). We made it on time and even took the boys with us. It was beautiful and so surreal to see a town literally wake up.

After breakfast we dropped the boys off back at home and went to Pamela's Diner for breakfast. It was a perfect Pittsburgh morning. Thank you guys!

Phipps Conservatory Take Two

In October Katie and I had gone to Phipps to see the plants as well as The Fräbel glass exhibit. This month Phipps has the Gothic Meets Gorgeous exhibit so I decided I wanted to go one last time.

King, KB, Celaschi, and I enjoyed everything we saw but we were definitely dying from the heat! Celaschi commandeered my camera and ended up taking approximately 250 pictures (she would make my mom proud). Here are some from our adventure...

Dog Days of Summer

It has been unbearably hot this last week. I have enjoyed sitting out in our yard while reading. The boys have also liked being outside the entire morning. I figured they should enjoy their yard for a few more weeks before we go to the big city. Celaschi lays out with me as well and when she went in for a water break Chuy decided it was his turn on the lounge. Here is a funny picture of him.



I am excited that I have time to read what I want and not what a professor assigns. I have already read the following...



I absolutely loved this book and wish I had read it much sooner. I have recently started going back to church and never realized how much I had to work on to get to where I want to be. This book is one of many I have read and so far think it is the best. I highly recommend it.



This quick read was very interesting. The authors looked at data in a different way to draw conclusions most would not. It definitely made me think and I cannot wait to read the sequel.



My sissy got me this book for Christmas. If you have been keeping tack you would know that I went through a vampire stage and read all the Twilight and True Blood books. However, this book was not about vampires but rather shadowhunters (vampire killers). It was okay. I didn't fall in love with it and probably won't read the next two any time soon. I did enjoy that the main character's name was Jace. Thought it was funny since I got the book for Christmas and we had gone on our first date only a few days before that.

I have already started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for the umpteenth time. I hope to get through it this time.



Any suggestions for good books I should add to my reading list?

My Little Bro

I have a one little brother and he will always be little to me, although he is 6'5 and 20 now. I never think about him being an adult, a man, and a college student headed far a way from home..BUT HE IS!

I received a call today from my sister saying that he would be on the local news, in the local paper, and is already on the college's website to announce his signing. He will be playing his last two year at Stephen F Austin State University which is located in Nacogdoches, TX (wherever that is). I am so proud of him and all he has accomplished! He has always had the goal of playing for a Division I school and never gave up. CONGRATS little bro!!

Here is the link to school's website with his article http://sfajacks.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/052010aaa.html

Here are some of my favorite pictures of Zac!

Graduation 2010

This past Saturday I graduated from my master's program at Carnegie Mellon. I am so grateful that I was able to have my family out in the audience; my mother, grandparents, and Jace were in attendance. The ceremony was nice and short, something I am sure they all appreciated.

After graduation we headed to The Grand Concourse and had a fantastic meal down in Station Square. The restaurant is located in the old train station and has a beautiful main dining area. Of course there was a wedding so we had to sit in another dining area, but we were able to have a river view so it was great.

After dinner I convinced the group to drive to the top of Mount Washington to see the city and ride the Duquesne Incline. It was a beautiful day and I think they all enjoyed the view and the ride (except the grandmas).

It was a long day but I had fun and am thankful to have my family to share it with. Here are some pictures...

A Day In Pittsburgh

This past week has been filled with family! Wednesday afternoon Jace flew in and 24 hours later my mother and grandparents were right behind him. I had one day with everyone here to show them what Pittsburgh was all about. Deciding what to do so that all of us would have fun was difficult; however I pulled it off nicely (I think).

We started the morning at the Frick estate down the street from my house. It gave everyone a chance to see how the rich lived in Pittsburgh back in the day. I think the grandparents enjoyed it a lot. They were able to see a carriage and car museum as well as an old mansion.

Next, we headed to Station Square for the Ducky Tour of Pittsburgh. The tour was okay. I think the best part was when Kirsten, Mom, and Grandpa got to drive the boat! We ended the evening with food from the Silk Elephant, my favorite place for Thai food. Everyone hated it...can't get these people to expand their horizons!

Here are a few pictures I was able to steal from my mother's camera before she left.